Hot Topics:

Small bites make meal at a tapas party

Sentinel & Enterprise

Updated:
04/30/2014 08:29:20 AM EDT

By Jessica Roy During a drip to Barcelona a few years back, I fell in love with the city's colorful artistic culture and its tapas,, bite-sized mini meals, often served on sticks. Trays of tantalizing tapas line the counters of these restaurants, begging customers to fill their plates with a myriad of flavorful treats. When customers have had their fill, the empty sticks are counted to determine the cost of the bill.

Tapas make for perfect party food, and also are an excellent way to incorporate big, bold flavors without running the risk of overkill to one particular dish. Common ingredients for these finger foods often include lots of spicy sausage, ham, fresh veggies, eggs and paprika There are so many options out there and it's really fun to experiment.

I'll get you started with two simple recipes, so mix up some fresh and fruity sangria and you're on your way to the ultimate tapas party.

Eggplant Rolls with Feta Cheese and Prosciutto

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant

10-12 slices prosciutto

1 container feta cheese crumbles

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1-1 1/2 tsp. honey

Balsamic vinegar, as needed

Olive oil, as needed

Salt and pepper, as needed

Toothpicks

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the eggplant into 1/8 inch slices lengthwise. The slices have to be nice and thin in order to avoid breaking. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.

Advertisement

2. Arrange about 1 Tbs. feta cheese onto each eggplant slice. Roll the eggplant, and wrap with a piece of prosciutto. Secure with a toothpick.

3. Place the eggplant rolls on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs and salt and pepper.

4. Drizzle top of each roll with a bit of honey and balsamic vinegar. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Bruschetta with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

1 loaf crusty bread or baguette, sliced into 1-inch slices

1 large sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 cup goat cheese crumbles

2 Tbs. sherry wine

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Water, as needed

Salt and pepper, as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the sliced bread on a baking sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle gently with salt. Bake for 10 minutes until tops are slightly golden brown.

2. In a large sauté pan, heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and allow to cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and golden. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with about 2 Tbs. of water and allow to reduce. Repeat 3-4 times until onions are caramelized and brown. Deglaze pan with 2 Tbs. sherry, and allow to reduce and alcohol to cook off. Season with salt and pepper.

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sentinel and Enterprise. So keep it civil.